Hundreds turn out for Latino Fest

By Christelle Lebeau
Guest Writer

The most successful Latino Fest in Pembroke’s history went off without a hitch on Oct. 25.

The event was held in the U.C. and was sponsored by Lambda Theta Alpha sorority and LASO (Latin American Student Organization.)

An estimated 200-300 students attended this event emphasizing fun, education and culture.

The purpose of Latino Fest is to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by inviting student, faculty and staff from UNCP and the community to participate in games, entertainment and to enjoy the wide array of food.

There were many games including baby bottle drinking competitions, pie eating contests, balloon races, poker tournaments and musical chairs. There was also a hanging piñata for people to bash in hopes to open its innards full of goodies.

The prizes included:

• four tickets to a show at GPAC
• 10 hours of free play in the game room
• $10 gift certificate for the bookstore
• $20 gift certificate to Bert’s
• bookstore prize pack including a laundry bag, a teddy bear, and a pen

Entertainment included a dance duo from Roland’s Dance Studio in Fayetteville who graced the stage with two incredible dances.

They also taught audience members a few basic moves for Salsa, Meringue, Bachata and many other Latin American dances.

The food included tacos and taquitos along with rice and beans provided by Del Sol, a Mexican restaurant in Lumberton.

Latino Fest originally began in the fall of 2002 by the Interested Ladies of Lambda Theta Alpha and LASO. The Interested Ladies are a group of girls who were looking for something different in a sorority that was not offered in an existing campus fraternal organization.

In the spring of 2005 four girls successfully became lovely ladies of Lambda Theta Alpha and so began the Delta Gamma Chapter here at UNCP.

Although the sorority is Hispanic in origin, it is open to all females with the goal to empower the international woman. The sorority has two official members-- president Christelle Lebeau and vice president Joanna Guerrero.

Although small in size, there is a very excited interested group of approximately 10 girls who are enthusiastic about becoming a Lambda Lady in the spring of 2006.

LASO was founded in September 2002 and currently has 25 enrolled members. Jose Gomez and Liliana Wendorff are the faculty advisors for this group.

Ramon Zepeda is their current president and assisting him is his vice president Sandra Meda. LASO meets on the second and fourth Thursday of every month at 8 p.m. and extends a welcome to all students.

Contact Zepeda for LASO information at rz0001@uncp.edu. For further information on Lambda Theta Alpha contact Lebeau at cll020@uncp.edu.